COURSE TITLE:

Level Two Drama and Theatre

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Level Two Drama and Theatre at Mount Aspiring College is a course designed to extend skills gained in level one. It will develop students’ skills and abilities in the communication of ideas through drama, to develop their understanding of the broader context of Drama, and to stimulate collaboration with others through the use of dramatic techniques and conventions.

Students who make a passionate commitment to this course can expect to achieve, alongside excellent results to contribute to NCEA Level 2, a confidence and fluency in the performing arts that they can apply to many practical situations. The Key Competencies are part of our daily classroom process. You will develop a sense of self through developing an understanding of the eight C’s of Drama – Creativity, confidence, communication, compassion, culture, collaboration, critical thinking and challenge. You will work largely as part of a larger ensemble (though their contributions are assessed individually), and through this, they quickly learn the vital importance of teamwork and open, clear communication.

The Drama and Theatre course at Mount Aspiring College consciously supports the school’s overall ethos of self-responsibility and moreover, we believe the course embodies the school’s motto “Enjoy Success”. We look forward to your participation in this year’s Level 2 Drama course.

The course covers all four Drama Strands of the New Zealand Arts Curriculum. You will study Dramatic techniques and apply this knowledge to character roles. You will Study conventions of drama, and use dramatic processing skills to create devised performances, both for a classroom audience and larger audiences. You will audition for, and then play a role in a major class production played to a wider community audience. You will examine and then interpret for performance, a complex historical theatre form in its context. As part of your wider learning you will view live theatrical performances and critically analyse them. You will reflect on your own work through verbal and written forms.

ASSESSMENT

The course will be assessed using a range of NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards. There are 18 compulsory Credits available in the course. 14 of these will be assessed internally through live performances and classroom workshops. Four will be assessed in an external examination at the end of the year.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

The course covers all four Drama Strands of the New Zealand Arts Curriculum. You will study Dramatic techniques and apply this knowledge to character roles.

You will study conventions of drama, and use dramatic processing skills to create devised performances, both for a classroom audience and larger audiences. You will be cast, and then play a role in a major class production played to a wider community audience.

You will examine, and then interpret for performance, a complex historical theatre form in its context.

As part of your wider learning you will view live theatrical performances and critically analyse them. You will reflect on your own work through verbal and written forms.

For students who wish to learn performing arts technologiesthere will be opportunities to be assessed on set and prop making, lighting, costume, sound, set, make-up and stage management.

If appropriate dancestandards may be selected by some students.

SPECIAL NOTE:

The Department continues to work towards structuring all senior levels of Drama into a Theatre Company. This is intended to allow a greater depth and wider context of learning, maximising all performance opportunities both within the school and the wider community. It will allow students to gain further knowledge and leadership in the many and varied roles of professional theatre both on and off the stage. Students ability to include the Performing Arts Technology standards into their personal learning programme will greatly increase in this structure. Further information on the Performing Arts Technology standards can be found on the NZQA website.

WHAT SHOULD I HAVE DONE ALREADY?

It is advisable that you have studied Level 1 Drama. If you have not previously studied Drama it is still possible to take the Level 2 Course but you will need to speak to the HOD of Drama.

ASSESSMENT OUTLINE:

StandardNumber

Title

Credit Value

Internal / External

UE Literacy R/W

2.1 (91213)

Apply drama techniques in a scripted context.

4

I

R

2.2 (91214)

Devise and perform a drama to realise an intention.

5

I

X

2.6 (91218)

Perform a substantial acting role in a scripted production.

5

I

R

2.3 (91215)

Discuss a drama theatre form or period with reference to a text.

4

E

R/W

TOTAL CREDITS AVAILABLE

18

INFORMATION ON PERFORMING ARTS TECHNOLOGY STRANDS CAN BE FOUND HERE: These can compliment or replace some performance drama standards if students choose.

If appropriate dance standards may be selected by students. You will need to talk to the HOD of Drama.

ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS:

ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS

The Achievement Standards offered in this course may not be resubmitted, however a reassessment opportunity may be offered to students who do not achieve the standard on the first attempt. This opportunity will only be offered to students who have shown a reasonable initial effort and who can demonstrate that further learning has occurred since the initial assessment opportunity.

All reassessments are composed of an entirely different assessment task.

LATE WORK

PLEASE NOTE: Unless otherwise stated all assessed written material MUST be handed in THE DAY BEFORE the practical performance assessment at the latest. Work submitted late for the internal assessment Standards will not be marked. You may have the opportunity to gain the credits through reassessment, if available.

If you have a genuine reason why you are unable to submit work by the due date, then you are able to apply for an extension. However this should occur prior to the due date, not after it. Absence from school due to sickness is not normally regarded as an acceptable reason for the non-submission of assessed work. Alternative arrangements, electronic or otherwise should be made in this event.

WRITTEN EVIDENCE:

WHAT WRITTEN WORK IS REQUIRED IN DRAMA?

There is a compulsory written statement of intention, annotated scripts and other relevant information that is required to be handed in with each achievementstandard. Other recorded information is not officially graded. In order to record learning and progress students will need to set up a note google doc where they will record thoughts, learning and relevant theoretical information updating it at least once a week. Separate google docs or participation in google classroom will be required for compulsory written work that is assessed. IF preferred hand written notes and documents can still be used for assessment. Access to templates and internal assessment documents will be given via a class google classroom page set up at the beginning of the year. You will need to join this to submit work electronically

WHY RECORDING IMPORTANT?

It gives weight to the largely brief evidence of development and process in drama.

It can clarify the individual student’s understanding of what happened in the group process.